Prime Minister Freundel Stuart expects new employment opportunities for young people in Barbados will be found in the area of information and communications technology (ICT).

Mr. Stuart expressed this view Wednesday during a meeting at Ilaro Court with President and Chief Operating Officer of Columbus Communications Inc., John Reid; Managing Director of Columbus Telecommunications Barbados Ltd., Niall Sheehy; and Corporate Communications Manager of the Eastern Caribbean, Tracy Moore.

He said: ???Young people love technology; they relate to it and a whole new world is unfolding as a result of ICTs. Opportunities for young people can be created if we take advantage of ICTs.?????He surmised that if opportunities weren???t created for young people using the legal channel, then the wrong people might generate them.

The Prime Minister noted that ICT was a focus of all Governments in the region. He pointed out that the Prime Minister with responsibility for ICT in CARICOM, Dr. Keith Mitchell, believes that the creation of a single ICT space in the region would help to grow the regional economies. ???We believe that having partnerships with companies like Columbus are important to our development thrust,??? he stated.

Mr. Reid said the focus of Columbus, the operators of the residential brand Flow, was on technology and the youth and promised to provide more training opportunities for young people. He described Columbus??? entry into the market as successful and stated that the local team was doing a great job.

He added that the company would continue its growth in the region and render necessary assistance to the countries. Prime Minister Stuart commended Columbus for recognising its corporate social responsibility and said he was pleased with its work in Barbados.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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